Pieces
by Hope-no-Less
Summary: It’s what you need to put together to see the whole picture of what has broken down. ChikaMichiru


**Pieces**

It's what you need to put together to see the whole picture of what has broken down. ChikaMichiru

**A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! X)**

This is more like an in-depth POV on Chika's which gave me some sour, painful twinge but halfway to the ending I switched to Michiru's POV so I'd really appreciate your comments on this.

Blame it on the chapter of the manga plus the song. (I guess. --,"). Plus the fact that I really found the Michiru-Sotetsu hook up shocking. XO It was amusing though (it forces _2 certain morons _to realize something) but, I didn't see it coming. I wanted Yomi/Koyomi with Sotetsu! Oh well. --,"

Listen to the song "Pieces" by Red, listening to the song helped me with the fic. ^^,=

**SPOILERS:** Based on Volume7 Chapter 38 – 43. Yeah that much, jaw drop people. XO

**Warning:** Urge to **swear**. I tried to keep it as minimal as possible but just in case some of you are sensitive about it, its okay I understand. I warned you anyway.

**Disclaimer:** Look, if I own this, this would've happened in the series! But I don't own so you don't sue okay?

* * *

I don't need this right now…

My hands shiver and my knees are giving in with every step I try to make. I managed to wobble myself further down the hallway but only with the help of the cold forsaken wall. Damn it. I could barely plaster my palms to the wall. I'm feeling so weak right now and this isn't exactly the time to fall and be like this. I grunted. I could hardly make a fist to show exactly how frustrated I am right now. How far down the hallway am I already anyway? Why do I feel so fucking exhausted already?

My breathing sounds ragged and harsh that I don't want to hear it. Shinigami be damned! Why now of all times?!

Reality started showing itself to us lately. Our "life-limit" is down to seven days. If we don't hunt enough zombies to pay our loan within seven days everyone under Z-Loan, surprisingly even A-Loan is under this condition, is going to _**die.**_ That's not the half of it; some damn wannabe of the "All-High-and-Mighty" drags both A and Z Loan in our school set in a different dimension with our schoolmates turned into zombies. The only way we're going to get out, according to "All-High-and-Mighty", is that we literally kill each other until only three people remain standing. Can you feel it? The agitation and the tension biting through our skins because Father Time continues to tick in this dimension and we already lost two days. We only have five days left.

I could faintly hear what sounds like eerie scratching against glass. It must be the zombies attempting to enter through the main door. Tch. Everyone's on the edge and even they are uneasy and impatient. The fight that erupted between me and the short twerp of A-Loan wasn't even enough to ease the edge off me, maybe because Yomi abruptly broke the fight but what she said got through our zombie brains anyway.

We are not the enemies, someone else is.

Unfortunately for me, for now, there is no someone else.

There's only myself.

I leaned heavily against the cold wall and my ragged breathing sounds a lot louder than it was a while ago. I could only cringe as I try to keep my head up and my hand faintly grips and eventually crawls down my face. Light is starting to hurt my eyes now and I have to squint every once in a while just to adjust to it. I'm starting to give in and I'm afraid I won't be able to hold much longer. Shito probably noticed it so when worse comes to worse, as much as I hate to admit it, he has my back.

My mind throbs and a heavy pulse waves throughout my body. My vision blurs and I can't stand the light anymore. I tried concentrating my vision on the window across me but something else came into view. It's blurry and worn out; it looks like a channel from a black and white television screen with a poor reception. It looks so familiar.

There's a kitchen counter with hardly anything on it. The shelves contain eating utensils that are hardly used because there was no food to use them for. A lonely and dusty shoe rack stands by the door with shoes that belong only to two people. The small one only had two pairs which were as worn and lonely as the shoe rack; the slightly bigger one had shoes in different colors and designs with various heel sizes. It looks like one pair is missing. The latter is about to leave and it took a pair of bright red stilettos.

I cringe at the memory and started to sink, "What the… It's the old…"

Ah... Why didn't I notice it before? It's the nostalgia… The school was starting to look like that cramp old place. Of all the things that would break my sanity it had to be this… I should've accepted whatever food the Gopher and Koyomi offered earlier. Then maybe I wouldn't be this over the edge. No, it's not just that. Since when did the hallway start to look so empty? When did everybody start to leave? They're coming back right? When are they coming back? Hurry up and come back…

I'm hungry.

~*~*~~*~*

"Chika? Why are you here? How are you feeling?" Her voice calls out to me. I know who she is but she should leave.

Her footsteps echoing from far away suddenly came closer. It stopped and I think she's just a few feet away from me. She calls out again and I'm not sure if she was talking to me. Everything feels so fuzzy I could hardly see anything but I know who owns that voice.

And I really should tell her to leave before she does anything stupid or else I might end up doing something I would regret.

My voice won't come out and all I managed was a scratchy noise from the back of my throat. I really should tell her to leave. I'll push her away if I have too. Damn it. If only I have the strength to push her I already did but it's not that easy. It was never easy, what with her having a knack at poking her nose in other's business. My mind starts to buzz and I feel something taking over and it doesn't feel good that it made me feel hazy.

I could make out her figure kneeling a few inches from me. I could make out the worrying expression on her face as she stretches her arm out to reach for me. Instincts were yelling at me to slap the hand away from reaching to me so I would give her a reason to leave me alone. But common sense split ways with me when I pulled her arm causing her body to collide with mine. She gasps at the sudden movement and I embraced her and clung to her like I was holding on to dear life. But I can't stay like this for long, not only am I holding on to dear life but to my remaining sanity as well. I don't think I'll last much longer. I have to warn her. She has to leave me, for now, just now.

Because I don't want to do anything stupid that would cause her to possibly leave … forever.

I tried to whisper it to her ear but my voice betrays me and it stays stuck to my throat. I caught the scent of her lavender shampoo and mild floral soap causing my senses to go into overdrive. I bit my tongue and held down a growl at the back of my throat. I have to tell her somehow. My failed whisper made her turn her head slightly and it gave me more access to her neck.

I caught wind of something else. I'm sure this is her perfume. Shit. This is _too_ tempting.

I was really at my limit now and all I could do is reach out for her hand and squeeze it with all my strength.

"Chika?"

I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. You were just too close.

I couldn't even look at you in the eye.

You just had to call out my name.

* * *

_It's dark. It's always dark._

"_I'm off Chika, I'll return in the morning."_

_I try not to blink but the light hurts. Strange. Whenever she opens the door the place behind it is so bright. In here it's dark. It's always dark. Maybe that's why she always likes to leave this place. Maybe because it's always bright beyond that door. I wonder what makes it so bright. I wonder if I can go beyond that door too?_

"_Don't go out alone. Wait at home for me okay?"_

_What should I tell her? _

_Should I tell her to come back soon?_

_Should I tell her to bring me with her?_

_But she said to wait for her at home. When is she coming back? Are you really coming back? _

_I'll wait like you always told me to. I'll keep quiet and maybe you'll come back faster. I'm hungry. I'm hungry again. _

_Should I wait? Are you worth the wait?_

No one's worth the wait.

~*~*~*~*

Cannibalism.

I'm sure you've watched a zombie movie or two. The thin line that separates us from the brainless kinds is that we still hold on to our "will". Without it we're no different than the brainless kinds. It would require a strong sense of self and reason to suppress ourselves from turning into the brainless and illegal ones. And as embarrassing as it is I've lost my grip and lost all reason. I tried to suppress it, I really did but our current situation must have caught up with me.

There are memories I prefer to be locked up. If possible I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore.

I'm still struggling to get a hold of myself. Shito managed to restrain me with a rope and I'm writhing like a worm on the ground as he explains to Gopher what it means to break the control of will. My teeth are unconsciously biting through the cloth tied around my mouth. I felt some liquid splatter on my cheeks made me look up. Tears were pooling around meek emerald orbs and they start to overflow. She wipes her tears with a bloody finger that stained her face a little.

"This is hopeless. I expected one or two to go crazy in this situation I just didn't expect that…"

"So Shito, basically you're saying Chika's self-control is broken?"

I tried to eat her.

This isn't your fault.

"I've tried it before but since I've been a zombie for a longer time I already know how to control it. Chika hasn't even been a zombie for a year… All I can say is that zombies only turn like this when they're feeling unstable. I just don't know what condition is Akatsuki locked in."

There are memories I don't want to remember. Given the chance I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore. I don't want anyone to know exactly what's breaking me down. I don't think anyone wants to see it. No one would come back when they find out.

My vision has completely turned blank and all I can depend on are my ears. I'm pretty sure Yomi just stepped in the room. "There is a way to help him but I need Michiru's power."

"The reason is simply because of his hunger when stuck in this closed space but the source is something else… something deeper. We have to find the root of his problem and close the gap in his heart."

I heard A-Loan enter and their female member spoke up, "But for an ordinary person to enter into someone's heart? That's impossible! You'll have to be an appropriately powered sorcerer to—"

Yomi's voice was cold and threatening. She obviously wasn't enjoying the conversation. "Then the ordinary people can quit their yapping and be quiet. Connecting pathways is no problem for Yomi however I need a medium… One with eyes that can reflect what can't be seen. One that can look through the other side. Michiru, you're eyes have sharpened considerably since we last met if it's the Michiru now most likely…"

_Chika! Wait for me I'm coming for you!_

And with that I completely blacked out…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I only do deals with freshly dead people and you fit the category perfectly."

My body was bloody and I was missing a left hand. I'm starting to smell rotten. That pretty much sums it right? I am dead.

"Go forward or go back? Live or die? Hurry up and decide."

I can't pass up this chance can I? If I really am dead then with this I could really go back alive. I can still settle things. I can…

"You just have to spend a little money and I'll let you make _**a loan of life…**_"

Those were the convincing lines that Bekko-san told me that time when I realized and accepted that I'm dead.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The chains of memories were rusty.

It was rough on my palms and it felt like the metallic smell was seeping through my skin. I looked up and stared at awe. Above me was a huge ball of rusty chains. Hundreds, no probably thousands of them were entwined and wrapping each other thus forming the huge ball right in front of me. This must be the culprit. It has to be!

I moved in closer and tried to unravel the chains on the surface. It won't budge at all! I can't open it but wait… I can peek through the crevices! I tried to focus my vision on what could possibly be inside. I could make out a cold gray wall, worn out tatami mats and…

"Chika-kun?"

Th-that's Chika?

I stared at him a little longer. He looks so... skinny. Is it malnutrition? I actually thought it was someone else. He looks different from how I envisioned Chika to be when he was a child. His skinny figured hugged on his knees so tightly that if he hugs anymore tighter it feels like his frail body would break. I felt a pang bite through me one his eyes met mine. His eyes were so downcast I couldn't even see a shimmer of light.

It's as if he has no hope.

"Who are you?..."

"E…Eh?!"

I found myself suddenly standing a few feet from Chika. Judging from the place it looks like I'm in his house. There was so much litter of soda cans, cup noodles, chopsticks and takeout packages on the floor. Some of them were even starting to grow molds. Just how has it been like this here?! But wait that's not the problem…

"You're trespassing."

"Za-Zarame he…"

_This is bad. The ribbon was torn apart this isn't just a memory now. Anything we do here will become a reality. I don't know what effect this would have for those living in the present._

It will become reality? If I can find out the core of his problems here then maybe it will bring him back to the present! I don't know how to start it but I have to try.

I kneeled in front of him and tried to start a conversation, "Chi-Chika…"

"How do you know my name?" I didn't give him a reply but he didn't even bother to look up at me at all.

"Let me tell you this, I don't have any money."

Is that something you should normally say?!

I pointed to myself and tried to smile, "Big sister here is… your friend!"

I glared at me with his downcast eyes, "Liar! I don't know you!"

"You will know me in the future." I paused to give him time to reply but he didn't answer, "This is your home right? So where's your mom and dad?"

He instantly looked disinterested upon the mention of his parents, "Give me a 100 yen and I'll tell you."

I sighed; So he was like this already when he was a kid?

"Sorry I don't have any money on me. Can I give it to you ten years from now?"

He glared at me once again, "Ten years? I can't wait that long!"

"There'll be an interest, a total of 500 yen is that okay?"

It was only for a short while but I saw his topaz eyes shimmer, "Okay! 500 yen it is! Don't ever forget it! 500 yen!"

I nodded and allowed myself to chuckle. So familiar…

"My dad and younger sister went abroad. My mom went to work and she's not back yet."

"Work?" I looked around the house again. I wonder exactly what work could that be? The house is hardly cleaned up or taken care of for that matter.

It suddenly feels so lonely… "How long has she been gone?"

"I don't know. I'm hungry."

"Chika what about school?"

"I hate it."

"Why?"

"Someone in class lost their wallet and thought you were the thief right? Because the more privileged the child the crueler he is, right Chika?"

Shivers ran down my spine. That voice definitely didn't belong to Chika, "Shi-Shiba?!"

The Shinigami instantly flew and charge at him only to be flicked by a finger. "Ho—How did it turn out like this?! You're supposed to be---"

_Michiru it's him! He's the one who stole my core!_

Shiba simply ignored and walked past us and continued to talk to Chika like we weren't there, "Turns out the classmate got it wrong. He got too far didn't he?"

Chika stared at him with an astounded expression on his face, "How did you know?"

Shiba simply smiled and kneeled in front of him, "I know everything about you Chika. After all we're best friends and you'd tell me everything." I bit my lip… He's right. Shibaand Chika are best friends. Maybe he knows everything about Chika and probably almost every memory that exists in here. But the reality is that they _**were**_ best friends. I wonder what Chika considered him to be the moment Shiba let go of his hand that day and died…

"There's no use waiting here because you've been abandoned."

Shiba's voice was cold and I could see that it instantly pierced through Chika by the way his eyes turned into void. What is he saying?! How can he say that?! He can't possibly know everything!

"She said he'll be living with a new man and that you're in the way. Isn't this lame excuse rather funny?"

How can he be smiling while saying all that?!

"Yo-You're lying!"

"I didn't lie." Shiba pulled up by the arm and picked him up, "I heard your mom say it myself. Here's more: five years from now when you're in grade 8 she'll come back and ask money from your dad."

Chika stayed shocked at all the things Shiba kept telling him. It's frustrating that Shiba knows so much but he can't do this! How can he spill everything Chika has ever told him and pierce it back at his vulnerable state?!

"This is a boring world you know? There's no difference between being alive and being dead. Since it's like that they should just die. Your mom, your dad and even those guys at school."

"No don't say anymore!!" If I let him continue then Chika may…

"I will fulfill your desires… Come with me Chika!"

"YOU CAN'T!" Despite his towering figure I managed to grab Chika from his grasp and hugged him desperately. I'm shivering and I couldn't control myself. It feels like Chika would disappear right in front of my eyes if I don't hold him in my arms. I continued to tremble as I covered Chika's eyes so he won't have eye contact with Shiba.

I felt my voice tremble and trickle with hate, "You… What do you want with Chika?!"

He looked at me with _**'murder'**_ written all over his face, "Give him back…" He raised his arms and a scythe slowly started to form in front of him. It looked familiar… It looked exactly like the scythe Shinigami-san has, "Didn't the Shingami tell you? We're no longer in his memories now, we're in his reality. If I twist and bend it and insert it into this eternal me, wouldn't it be interesting?"

"Oh right… Michiru you attacked me that time as well right?"

I quickly stood up and hide Chika behind me as I felt Shiba's urge to attack. But he was too fast. The moment I stood up the cold curve blade of the scythe had already formed itself behind my neck. I couldn't breathe and everything constricted inside me.

"_**If you dare stop me… I will kill you!**_"

The last thing I saw before I closed my eyes was that he was raising his scythe to give a final blow. I took a deep breath and waited for it but it never came. Instead I open my eyes to see the Shinigami, surprisingly in his full form fighting against Shiba!

"So you aren't dead yet?! You can regenerate even without your core?!"

"_I won't let you harm her!"_

I instantly fell to my knees and held onto to Chika. All I could do is watch. There's got to be some way to get out of here! I blinked. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? I concentrated on the wall once again. Th—The background of the memory… it's distorted!

I looked down at the child on in my arms, "Chika!"

"But if being alive is the same as being dead then… Let's just die. Let's all just die!"

I gripped his shoulders tightly. No… No… This isn't what I want to hear from you… How can you say that?! After all you've told me back then…

_If you hate this place so much then why don't you fly?!_

"No…" I pushed him away and held him by the shoulders making sure he would face me.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! DYING WON'T DO YOU ANY GOOD! THAT'S WHAT YOU TOLD ME REMEMBER?!" Tears kept falling down my face and I just couldn't control it. This isn't the Chika I know! No matter troubles we've been through he wouldn't chose to die! That's why he took in a loan… He wouldn't let anyone die not even himself!

That's why you took a loan for me right?!

The background continued to distort itself and disappear and all I could do was cry and hold the little boy in front of me.

"Chika… Chika… I will fulfill our agreement… I'll give you 500 yen when you grow up so…"

The force of the distortion around us just stronger and I reluctantly got blown away. I panicked. I can't drag Chika with me!

"ZARAME! We'll be washed away! Quickly grab Chika!"

I pushed him away from me but his small hands continued to clutch onto mine, "500 hundred yen."

I'd really like to laugh but knows really not the right time. I smile would do, "Right, agreed! You need to find me no matter where I am, and before you get the money…"

Our hands were slowly losing grip at the strength of the distortion…

"YOU MUST STAY ALIVE!"

And by force we had to let go…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're late Akatsuki! Don't tell me you were searching around again?!"

Sixteen year old Chika Akatsuki ignored Shito's ranting, "What's it to you anyway?! I can do anything I want!"

"Put your brain to work will you?! You met her ten years ago! By now she'd be ten years older than you. I bet she's probably even married by now!"

"Can it Shito! It's still 500 yen why would I pass it up?!"

They were walking the empty school hallways in the middle of the night. An illegal zombie was said to be roaming around the school grounds and they decided to investigate it. Chika came late as usual. Shito's heard about Chika's story lots of times and frankly his quite tired of it and wants to shove it down Chika's throat. What's so important about that woman anyway?!

And it's only 500 yen so why does that mean so much to Chika?

Shito sighed. Maybe that's the point; he doesn't know why it means so much to Chika. "Aka---"

And when he turned he was already gone.

"DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM AND HIS 500 YEN!"

*~*~*~*~*

He just went closer to be sure.

While Shito was doing all his yapping about this and that, all he did was glance out the window and he saw **her**. Moonlight was bright as the sunlight as it lit the path she was walking on. It really looked like her. And like he said he had to be close to be sure.

So there he was standing in the middle of the path that she was walking on. She looked so petite and fragile just like ten years ago.

Her lavender hair is longer though; she kept it intact by tying it into two braided pig-tails. After all those ten years he struggled to stay alive; he even got a "loan" for his life when he died. There were times were he would 'unconsciously' search for her. There were also times that he denied the truth that he really wanted to search for her. He'd knock some sense out of himself as he grew older since there were other ways of earning 500 yen.

But he knew that this "500 yen" is special.

Suddenly she was already standing a few feet away from him.

Topaz met emerald as soft winds blew and nostalgia took over.

She broke the silence first and smiled, "You remembered."

Unknowingly it became one of the few reasons he decided to live.

He smiled back, "Of course. After all you owe me."

* * *

There you have it! I'm working on what seems to be (based on the manga) a sequel. Hope you liked this one R & R please and thank you. ^^,= Once again Happy New Year! X)


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